Cover for ships&#39; hatchways.



No. 810,185. PATBNTED JAN. 16, 1906. H. BURRBLL.

COVER FOR SHIPS HATGHWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1904. l

s SHEETS-SHEET I.

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

H. BURRELL.

COVER FOR SHIPS HATGHWAYS.

'APPLIOATION FILED JAN 7 1904 v3 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

Wwe/44M: 7 m

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

H.. BURRELL. COVER FOR SHIPS" HATCHWAYS.

Why/4.4M c Mm @1A/MMM 1W UNITED STATES HENRY BURRELL, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

COVER Fon SHIPSJ HAToHwAYs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed January 7, 1904:. Serial No, 188,031.

To all whom, it may G01/warn:

Be it known that I, HENRY BURRELL, residing at 73 Robertson street, Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Connected with Covers for Ships Hatchways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to covers for ships hatchways and the like; and it has for its object to provide a cover which may be readily secured and rendered water-tight and which provides readier access to the cargo than heretofore, and also a means forrapidly securing such covers and making them watertight without the use of tarpaulin or other loose covers.

Under the invention the cover of the hatchway or opening is made in the form of a door or doors of iron, steel, or other suitable material, which may be hinged at the ends or sides of the hatchway or may be portable, as may be most convenient. When fitted to large hatchways, across each door or cover' a strong beam or beams is or are provided of such strength as will withstand the weight of any water which may fall upon the cover. The cover is further strengthened by stiffening-bars of angle or other suitable section fitted at right angles to and connected with said beam or girder and extending to the coamings of the hatchway. By this means the cross-beams and fore and aft supports usually fitted under the hatch-covers may be dispensed with, and the opening, of the cover or door at once leaves the hatchway entirely clear for working cargo, the cover itself being hinged back on deck or lifted clear of the hatchway. The beam or girder or stiffeners being fitted on the top of the cover when covering the hatchway the whole internal space in the hatchway itself is left free for the stowage of cargo and a plane surface is provided for working upon when the hatchway is open, which plane surface may also serve as a chute for coal and similar cargoes.

The covers when closed down upon the lhatchway-coamings, which are suitably stiffened at their upper edge by flat bars of V or other suitable section, are forced downupon rope-gasket, canvas, rubber, or other suitable packing and rendered water-tight by means of metal wedges held in suitable sockets so arranged that the wedges cannot fall out of the sockets, and the wedge-sockets, which are attached to the coamings, readily fall back out of the way when the covers are open. These wedgingsockets are so designed as to be easily fitted and removed, being preferably made of cast-steel and so arranged that the covers may be rapidly secured or released by driving the wedges by a hammer.

The wedges and sockets may be adapted to any door cover or lid which it is desired to secure or release rapidly and have no loose parts to go amissing.

Ventilators may be provided on the covers formed with an upwardly-projecting lip or flange, which, While allowing of free ventilation, prevents the downflow of water.

When used for water-tight tanks and the like, for which the hatchways are formed in lower decks, the door-cover may be formed, if desired, of a pair of 'folding doors of different sizes, the dimensions being so chosen that in swinging over the folding sections the larger door may clear the deck or other obstruction above.

Said invention is fully shown and described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, wherein similar letters of reference designate like or equivalent parts wherever found throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal or fore-and-aft vertical sectional View of a hatchway provided with my improved cover, one of such covers being shown closed down on the coamings. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 a view thereof in cross or amidship section. Fig. 4 is a plan vieW'of one of the toe-plates on the hatch-cover with which the swing-socket and wedge engage, as shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view showing the edge of the hatchcover closed down upon the side coaming and secured to such coaming by the socket and wedge. Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation, showing the deck-line and part of two hatch- Ways of a ship with one of the covers of each hatchway folded back, the hatches being opened up. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of one side of -the coaming around the hatchway, showing the hinge of one of the folding covers; and Fig. 8 is a front or face view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the wedging devices for securing the ends of the two covers Where they meet when closed down upon the hatchway. Figs. 10 and 1l are detailed sectional views of that portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 is a front or face vieW IOO IIO

of that portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, each hatchopening A is formed, as usual,` with a coaming B, rising from the deck C and strengthened at its upper edge by stiffening-bars inclosing a packing b of rope-gasket. To the external sides of these coamings are secured the stationary parts D of hinges D D, of which the movable parts D are secured to the hatch-covers E, as shown particularly at Figs. 7 and 8, by riveting to longitudinal angle-beams E thereon, the hinges being provided either at the fore and aft ends of the hatchways, so that the hatch-covers open up fore and aft or at the sides of the coamings, so that the covers open up athwartships. The hinge parts are connected by hinge-bolts d, which ht in slightly oval holes to allow for play in closing down the covers.

The cover for each hatch-opening is shown as made in two parts, one hinged to either end or side, and is formed from iron or steel plates suitably stiffened by the longitudinal bars E on the upper side, across which is secured a strong beam or girder E3, which serves the twofold purpose of strengthening the cover, so that it may withstand the weight of heavy seas, and of providing a support for the hinged cover E when it is folded over to rest upon the deck, as shown at Fig. 6. The upturned under side of the cover being comparatively smooth and free from obstructingbars may also serve as a platform for working on or as a coal-chute if the cover be tilted up at an inclination. In the covers ventilaters F are also shown and may be constructed in any well-known Way to exclude water, while allowing free passage of air.

When the hatchway is closed, as shown at Figs. 1 and 2 the meeting edges of two halfcovers E, which are stiifened by means of cross-bars E4, are or may be locked together, as indicated at Figs. 2, 10, 1l, and 9, by means of wedges G, passed through sockets G', secured on one half-cover and bearing on cheek-plates Gr2 or wedge-pieces on the edge of the adjoining cover E, while the latter rests on a packing H of rope-gasket held in a recess formed between the cover edge and a stiffening bar E5, secured to it. The sides and hinge ends of each half-cover rest upon the upper edges of the coaming B or on ropegasket packing b, secured between the. stiffeners b. The covers E are securely held down around these edges by means of wed es I, passed throu h eyes J in swing we ge sockets J hinge to the coaming and bearing on toe-plates secured around the cover edges, as shown at Figs. 2, 5, 12, and 14. These wedges are thickened at their narrower ends, so that they cannot fall through the eyes of the swingbolts. While being driven back slightly, the bolts J are free to be swung clear of the cover.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a closurefor ships hatchways the combination with the cover comprising a dobr proper having a plain bottom surface, of an outside beam, stiffening-bars at right angles connected with said beam, a coaming, a sti'ffening-bar for said coaming, compressible material interposed between the coaming and the cover for making a tight joint between the same, bars pivoted on said coaming having wedge-sockets, and wedges located in said sockets for securing the cover in position when driven home, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a closure for ships hatchways the combination with the cover comprising a door proper having a plain bottom surface, of an outside beam, stiifening-bars at right angles connected with said beam, a coaming, a stiifening-bar for said coaming, a gasket for making a tight joint between the same,

bars pivoted on said coaming having wedgesockets, and wedges located in said sockets for securing the cover in position when driven home, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a closure for ships hatchways the combination with the cover comprising a door proper having a plain bottom surface, of an outside beam, stiffening-bars at right angles connected with said beam, a coaming, a stiffening-bar for said coaming, a ropegasket for making a tight joint between the same, bars pivoted on said coaming havin wedge-sockets, and wedges located in sai sockets for securing the cover in position when driven home, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a closure for ships hatchways the combination with the cover comprising a door proper having a plain bottom surface, of an outside beam, stiffening-bars at right angles connected with said beam, a coaming, a stifening-bar for said coaming, compressible material interposed between the coaming and the cover for making a tight joint between the same, bars pivoted on said coaming having wedgesockets, and wedges located in said sockets for securing the cover in position when driven home, said lwedges being so secured in the sockets as to be incapable of accidental absolute removal from such sockets, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a closure for ships hatchways the combination with the cover comprising a door proper having a plain bottom surface,

n of an outside beam, stiHening-bars at right angles connected with said beam, a coaming, a stiffening-bar for said coaming, a gasket for making a tight joint between the same, bars pivoted on said coaming having wedgesockets, and wedges located in said sockets for securing the cover in position when driven IOO IIO

home, said Wedges being so secured in the sockets for securing the cover in position sockets as to be incapable of accidental abwhen driven home7 said Wedges being so se- 15 solute removal Jfrom such sockets, substancured in the sockets as to be incapable of actially as shown and described. l cidental absolute removal from such sockets,

6. In a closure for ships hatchways the l substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my combination with the cover comprising a door proper having a plain bottom surface, name to this specification 1n the presence of zo tWO subscribing Witnesses.

of an outside beam, stiffening-bars at right angles connected With said beam a coamng T a sttifening-bar for said coaming,7 a rope-gas HEB RY BURRELL' liet for making a tight joint between the same, bars pivoted on said coaming having Wedge-sockets, and Wedges located in said Witnesses:

WALLACE CRANsTON FAIRWEATHER, JNO. Amisrnoud7 Jr. 

